This year, Knott’s Scary Farm debuted one of their most ambitious mazes ever, Paranormal Inc. With a unique blend of storytelling, special effects, and really great stunts, the maze has amazed guests every single night with its exceptional scares.
I was lucky enough to sit down with Jon Cook, designer and mastermind behind the maze, to ask him some questions about its creation and execution.
The general idea for the maze started during the 2014 Haunt season, just after Cook’s last big project for Scary Farm, Infected, was up and running, allowing guests to transport themselves into their very own zombie film.
Read the rest at KnottsBerryBlog
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Remember to meet the cast of The Peanuts Movie at Knott's today!
— Theme Park Review (@ThemeParkReview) October 31, 2015
Thursday, October 29, 2015
A former Disney Imagineer's Top 10 must-do attractions at Knott's Berry Farm
My first visit to Knott’s Berry Farm was in 1962, when my parents brought us to California on a vacation. I have always remembered my visit to that theme park, along with visiting Disneyland. As I was a young lad from Indiana, these were amazing places. Two years later we moved to Orange County, and we were able to visit both parks on a regular basis.
Eventually I went to work at Disneyland, working my way up to becoming an Imagineer at Walt Disney Imagineering. But I’ve also always enjoyed Knott’s Berry Farm, particularly its classic attractions. So with that in mind, here are my top-10 must-do things at Knott’s Berry Farm.
Read the rest at OCRegister
Eventually I went to work at Disneyland, working my way up to becoming an Imagineer at Walt Disney Imagineering. But I’ve also always enjoyed Knott’s Berry Farm, particularly its classic attractions. So with that in mind, here are my top-10 must-do things at Knott’s Berry Farm.
Read the rest at OCRegister
Should Cedar Fair continue investing into VR?
This isn't going to be an article (I may expand upon it later), since I don't have the time to write one right now but just take a look at this:
This is a new game called Until Dawn: Rush of Blood - built on the PlayStation VR peripheral for the PS4 - that seems to be directly going for the same market Cedar Fair was hoping to tap with their VR experimentation. Granted, it won't have the sensation of a moving ride vehicle, and that may make a huge difference but its a game themed after a rollercoaster - directly linking it to an amusement park. We have to ask, will people really travel to experience something they perceptively see as the same experience they can get at home? Will it be worth the investment? These are all questions I'm sure Cedar Fair is asking themselves right now and we'll just have to wait to find out the answer.
If Cedar Fair does decide to continue pursuing VR, I hope their marketing team is ready to expound upon the difference a physical moving vehicle makes in conjunction with VR. If not, I don't see success in its future.
This is a new game called Until Dawn: Rush of Blood - built on the PlayStation VR peripheral for the PS4 - that seems to be directly going for the same market Cedar Fair was hoping to tap with their VR experimentation. Granted, it won't have the sensation of a moving ride vehicle, and that may make a huge difference but its a game themed after a rollercoaster - directly linking it to an amusement park. We have to ask, will people really travel to experience something they perceptively see as the same experience they can get at home? Will it be worth the investment? These are all questions I'm sure Cedar Fair is asking themselves right now and we'll just have to wait to find out the answer.
If Cedar Fair does decide to continue pursuing VR, I hope their marketing team is ready to expound upon the difference a physical moving vehicle makes in conjunction with VR. If not, I don't see success in its future.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Elvira's Asylum at Knott's Scary Farm Halloween Haunt Brings the Camp
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark is the true definition of the term “living legend.” Think I’m exaggerating? How many celebrities get to embody an entire time of year like Elvira does? Our fair Mistress here is to the Halloween season what Santa Claus is to Christmas—only she’s an actual, real, live person (uh, spoiler alert?). Well, the actress beneath the wig—Cassandra Peterson—is; Elvira on the other hand is an ageless icon. While the rest of us have crept along this mortal coil over the past thirty plus years since she made her debut, she looks exactly the same, as was evidenced during her live show, Elvira’s Asylum.
Read the rest at the Nerdist
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Bringing Back the Missions at Knott’s Berry Farm
It may seem like an odd theme park attraction. Back when admission to Knott’s Berry Farm was free, Walter Knott commissioned dioramas of the California missions. Displayed in 21 glass-fronted cases—usually with a wooden wall a few feet in front of the glass (and a roof above the space) to limit reflections and to control lighting inside—the detailed models allowed Knott’s guests to journey up the length of California without leaving the park. It was a free attraction and had no sponsor. Of course, Walter Knott hoped guests would spend money elsewhere on the “Farm.”
The dioramas were about history. But as Knott’s morphed into a thrill ride mecca, the dioramas became history.
Around 60 years after the mission models were built, they are being rebuilt. Guest contributor M.H. Habata has been watching the progress and wrote this article for Yesterland.
Read the rest at Yesterland
The dioramas were about history. But as Knott’s morphed into a thrill ride mecca, the dioramas became history.
Around 60 years after the mission models were built, they are being rebuilt. Guest contributor M.H. Habata has been watching the progress and wrote this article for Yesterland.
Read the rest at Yesterland
Monday, October 19, 2015
GhostRider receiving a complete re-track to bring it back to opening day status!
Finally have a chance to share these with ya'll! Ghostriders refurb is starting to show!!!!! But it looks like its just...
Posted by Knott's Network on Monday, October 19, 2015
Saturday, October 17, 2015
New Haunted Shack Pin!
New Haunted Shack Pin!!!! Photo: @knottsnut74 #knotts #knottsberryfarm #themepark #AmusementPark #pintrading #BuenaPark #cedarfair
Posted by Knott's Network on Friday, October 16, 2015
Knott's News: Should we consider this an early announcement or am I just looking into this too much? Honestly not much else they can put in that relatively small footprint.
Knott's Green Witch: Scaring people is her business
Scaring people hasn't gotten old for Parker, even after 32 years of portraying the Green Witch of Calico Ghost Town at the annual haunt at Knott's Berry Farm, which takes on the mantle of Knott's Scary Farm for the holiday season.
Parker, who has worked at the Buena Park theme park since 1983, said she originally auditioned for a part-time job. Little did she know the job would become a routine part of her life for the next three decades.
Read the rest at DailyPilot
Parker, who has worked at the Buena Park theme park since 1983, said she originally auditioned for a part-time job. Little did she know the job would become a routine part of her life for the next three decades.
Read the rest at DailyPilot
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Vote: Which Orange County teacher is the scariest Knott's monster?
The Knott’s Berry Farm monsters gave the high school teachers some dastardly instructions.
If you want to scare your students, stay low. Coming at them from below gives you the element of surprise. Get too close – people don’t like their space invaded.
Lock eyes with your students. Eye contact is intimidating.
Scream, grunt, growl – your voice is the scariest thing you’ve got.
“And above all,” one monster said, “leave your sanity at the door.”
The Orange County Register asked four high school teachers to go full-zombie, with tattered costumes, too much hair spray and ghoulish makeup, to scare the wits out of their students at Knott’s Scary Farm last weekend. More than 80 students from Edison, Santa Ana, Northwood, La Habra and Buena Park high schools were invited to see if they could recognize and survive encounters with their frightful teachers.
Read the rest at OCRegister
If you want to scare your students, stay low. Coming at them from below gives you the element of surprise. Get too close – people don’t like their space invaded.
Lock eyes with your students. Eye contact is intimidating.
Scream, grunt, growl – your voice is the scariest thing you’ve got.
“And above all,” one monster said, “leave your sanity at the door.”
The Orange County Register asked four high school teachers to go full-zombie, with tattered costumes, too much hair spray and ghoulish makeup, to scare the wits out of their students at Knott’s Scary Farm last weekend. More than 80 students from Edison, Santa Ana, Northwood, La Habra and Buena Park high schools were invited to see if they could recognize and survive encounters with their frightful teachers.
Read the rest at OCRegister
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Knott's Ghostrider re-tracking update #1
Enjoy this look at Ghostrider, they really aren't wasting any time on hopefully bringing this amazing coaster back to it's glory days. And we couldn't be happier.
The entrance, doesn't appear to be any changes here yet, and there may not be which is fine. They aren't needed. We'd rather they focus the work on where it's really needed, the track.
See it all at ParkJourney
The entrance, doesn't appear to be any changes here yet, and there may not be which is fine. They aren't needed. We'd rather they focus the work on where it's really needed, the track.
See it all at ParkJourney
Thursday, October 8, 2015
'Stars, Stunts and Stories:' Hollywood stuntman got his start at Knott's Berry Farm
Remember that classic, albeit gory scene in the gangster film “Casino” when consummate movie wise guy Joe Pesci squeezes that guy’s head in a vise?
Carl Ciarfalio was that guy.
As a veteran stuntman, Ciarfalio, 61, has been tossed off a cliff by Jeff Bridges, kicked in the gut by Chuck Norris, traded blows with Tom Cruise, shot by Robocop and choked by Clint Eastwood.
He’s been hit by cars, fallen off buildings and tumbled down staircases.
But before performing stunts for TV and films for more than 30 years, Ciarfalio was robbing stagecoaches and getting in shootouts at Knott’s Berry Farm.
Read the rest at OCRegister
Carl Ciarfalio was that guy.
As a veteran stuntman, Ciarfalio, 61, has been tossed off a cliff by Jeff Bridges, kicked in the gut by Chuck Norris, traded blows with Tom Cruise, shot by Robocop and choked by Clint Eastwood.
He’s been hit by cars, fallen off buildings and tumbled down staircases.
But before performing stunts for TV and films for more than 30 years, Ciarfalio was robbing stagecoaches and getting in shootouts at Knott’s Berry Farm.
Read the rest at OCRegister
Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare: 3Z Arena Coming to Carowinds in Spring 2016
Carowinds and PopCap Games, creator of some of the world's most beloved video game franchises, and an Electronic Arts Inc. studio are leading the charge as innovators in the amusement park industry by announcing a new digital experience. Carowinds will open the world's first intra-active 3-D game experience, Plants vs Zombies™ Garden Warfare: 3Z Arena, in spring 2016 - adding to the park's family line-up of thrills for all ages.
The new attraction, exclusive to Carowinds, will be based off the Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare franchise - a hilarious and over-the-top shooter videogame series that drops you into a crazy, all-out battle between plants and zombies in their fight for suburbia. The newest release from the franchise, Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2, will also launch spring 2016 and for the first time, zombies have taken over and plants are on the attack. Players will be able to join the battle with new characters including Super Brainz, a zombie super hero who thinks he's an 80's action movie star, and Citron, a bounty-hunting orange from the future.
An intra-active experience means the game allows players to interact with the opposing team's screen. Guests will step inside the state-of-the-art Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare: 3Z Arena complex decked with 3-D technology, massive screens, surround sound and motion-based seats, to enjoy outrageous and imaginative encounters with their competition. Teams will compete in the Plants vs Zombies universe during an almost five minute backyard battle, where they'll shoot screens with blasters and track their scores as they go.
The new attraction, exclusive to Carowinds, will be based off the Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare franchise - a hilarious and over-the-top shooter videogame series that drops you into a crazy, all-out battle between plants and zombies in their fight for suburbia. The newest release from the franchise, Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2, will also launch spring 2016 and for the first time, zombies have taken over and plants are on the attack. Players will be able to join the battle with new characters including Super Brainz, a zombie super hero who thinks he's an 80's action movie star, and Citron, a bounty-hunting orange from the future.
An intra-active experience means the game allows players to interact with the opposing team's screen. Guests will step inside the state-of-the-art Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare: 3Z Arena complex decked with 3-D technology, massive screens, surround sound and motion-based seats, to enjoy outrageous and imaginative encounters with their competition. Teams will compete in the Plants vs Zombies universe during an almost five minute backyard battle, where they'll shoot screens with blasters and track their scores as they go.
Read the rest at Carowinds
Knott's News: Color me impressed. If the concept art is anything to go by, it seems like a pretty decent amount of effort is going into this. Nice job Cedar Fair!
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Janney Capital Reiterates Buy on Cedar Fair L.P. (FUN) Following Knott’s Berry Farm Tour
Janney Capital reiterated a Buy rating and $67.00 price target on Cedar Fair (NYSE: FUN) following a tour of Knott’s Berry Farm outside of LA. Knott's is the second largest asset in the portfolio with attendance approaching 4M people. The park has undertaken numerous CAPEX projects over the past few years to differentiate itself. It refurbished some of the most popular rides and renovated the kid's area.
Analyst Tyler Batory commented, "We recently had the opportunity to tour Knott’s Berry Farm outside of LA. We came away impressed with the quality of the park and the strategic investments made over the past few years. This has allowed Knott’s to differentiate itself from nearby Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood. From a stock perspective, we have increased confidence in our thesis that future growth can be driven by price increases, sales of more season passes and advanced tickets, and in-park spending. Our FV is $67 which is 11x our 2016 EBITDA."
Analyst Tyler Batory commented, "We recently had the opportunity to tour Knott’s Berry Farm outside of LA. We came away impressed with the quality of the park and the strategic investments made over the past few years. This has allowed Knott’s to differentiate itself from nearby Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood. From a stock perspective, we have increased confidence in our thesis that future growth can be driven by price increases, sales of more season passes and advanced tickets, and in-park spending. Our FV is $67 which is 11x our 2016 EBITDA."
Read the rest at StreetInsider
Monday, October 5, 2015
The full Plants vs Zombies attraction teaser
Get ready to soil your plants in 2016... pic.twitter.com/25nP54Ibdw
— #SCarowinds (@Carowinds) October 5, 2015Disneyland's Annual Pass Price Increase Creates an Opportunity for Universal, Knott's
Disneyland's price increase creates opportunities for its nearest competitors in the Los Angeles-area theme park market: Universal Studios Hollywood and Knott's Berry Farm. With a no-blockout pass to the Disneyland theme parks now costing more than $1,000 a year, Universal and Knott's have plenty of room to raise their pass prices and create new admission products and still come off looking like an absolute bargain compared with what Disney is charging.
Read the rest at ThemeParkInsider
Knott's News: I have to agree. I know many people won't want to hear this but a stern price increase would definitely help give Knott's a healthy source of revenue to invest in higher quality attractions (that Garner Holt Knott's Bear-y Tales reimagining isn't just gonna fund itself) and intern be more competitive. It may also help - and I'm putting this lightly - keep some of the riff-raff out. As this article says, even at $200 for Gold or $300 for Platinum - with free parking and no blackouts - they're still the best value in town (and since the Platinum Pass includes all Cedar Fair parks, there is nothing stopping you from heading north and checking out the new Mass Effect attraction next year).
I'm sure Knott's is waiting to see how Universal reacts before doing anything.
Read the rest at ThemeParkInsider
Knott's News: I have to agree. I know many people won't want to hear this but a stern price increase would definitely help give Knott's a healthy source of revenue to invest in higher quality attractions (that Garner Holt Knott's Bear-y Tales reimagining isn't just gonna fund itself) and intern be more competitive. It may also help - and I'm putting this lightly - keep some of the riff-raff out. As this article says, even at $200 for Gold or $300 for Platinum - with free parking and no blackouts - they're still the best value in town (and since the Platinum Pass includes all Cedar Fair parks, there is nothing stopping you from heading north and checking out the new Mass Effect attraction next year).
I'm sure Knott's is waiting to see how Universal reacts before doing anything.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Carowinds to announce Plants vs Zombies attraction soon!
Another world's 1st attraction is coming to Carowinds in 2016. Official announcement coming soon! pic.twitter.com/LTkwHlYpOY
— #SCarowinds (@Carowinds) October 4, 2015
Knott's News: This is the only other part of the Cedar Fair EA deal that we know of. Considering Cedar Fair's reluctance to deal with outside IP in the past, this sure does shake things up, even if it's just some temporary Action Theater shows. Could we see a Dead Space maze in Scary Farm's future? Who knows. I'm really excited to see how this plays out and what impact it may have on future Cedar Fair projects.
Knott’s Scary Farm Returns for 2015 with One of the Strongest Offerings Yet
The grand-daddy of Halloween events is back and is ready to turn your worst fears into reality once more for its 43rd year in a row. From demented dolls, to twisted tooth fairies, maniac magicians and some titillating talent acts, Knott’s Scary Farm is back and bigger than ever before. Please let it be known that this “review” is based on our experience during opening night. It’s common that many effects are still being tinkered with, talent is getting into the grove of things, and it’s hard to base final judgement on something that has only been running for a few hours vs. the rest of the 6 week run and that goes for any Halloween event, really. This “review” will focus primarily on what is new, without trying to spoil too much. There are many secrets deep inside the farm that you just need to see for yourself.
Read the rest at BehindtheThrills
Read the rest at BehindtheThrills
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Knotts Scary Farm 2015 Full Review
Last week, the original halloween haunt, Knott’s Scary Farm, opened its gates for the 2015 season. This year, there are 11 haunted attractions, 3 scare zones, and over 1,000 monsters waiting for you in the fog. Yes, you will be scared . . . but you’ll also be delighted.
For 2015, we have an impressive and varied line-up of experiences to dive into. Returning mazes include Pinocchio Unstrung, Forevermore, Black Magic, Gunslinger’s Grave, Trick or Treat, Voodoo, and The Tooth Fairy. Two entirely brand new mazes join the ensemble of terror this year; The Dead of Winter and Paranormal Inc. This year also marks the return of scares in the Calico Mine Ride with the all-new, My Bloody Clementine. In this review, we will focus primarily on the mazes, haunted experiences, and Shows.
Read the rest at MiceChat
For 2015, we have an impressive and varied line-up of experiences to dive into. Returning mazes include Pinocchio Unstrung, Forevermore, Black Magic, Gunslinger’s Grave, Trick or Treat, Voodoo, and The Tooth Fairy. Two entirely brand new mazes join the ensemble of terror this year; The Dead of Winter and Paranormal Inc. This year also marks the return of scares in the Calico Mine Ride with the all-new, My Bloody Clementine. In this review, we will focus primarily on the mazes, haunted experiences, and Shows.
Read the rest at MiceChat
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)